Shepherd&#39;s crook.



M. L. BURCH. SHEPHBRDS CROOK- nrmcnmn nun MAY 27, 1909.

Patented May 3, 1910.

A Allamey ANDREW u GRAHAM to. PM)m uwtxunwumsv wasumuwm D c UNITED CTATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARSDEN L. BURCH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO A. JACKMAN, OF LEWISTOWN, MONTANA.

SHEPHERDS CROOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 27, 1909.

Patented May 3, 1910.

Serial No. 498,617.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Manson}: L. BURoH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shepherds Crooks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shepherds crooks, particularly those made from wire, and has for its object to provide the crook with a locking device of improved construction for holding the leg of the animal until it is intentionally released by the shepherd or herdsman.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crook embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line III-III of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a different form of the invention from that shown in F i 1.

In the drawings 2 indicates the staE at the end of which is the crook, 3, a ferrule, 4, surrounding the shank and serving as the means for uniting the crook to the staff. The crook is re resented as being formed of two strands 0 wire properly shaped; but this feature of the device I do not claim, such being old, and my invention is not limited to use in connection with a crook of the particular style illustrated.

5 designates, as a whole, a lever pivotally supported by the stem, 6, of the crook and adapted to normally lie across the throat between the stem and the free end, 7, of the crook, thus effectually closing the leg loop, 8. The lever is formed of wire properly shaped and is supported between the ears of a clip, 9, that is secured in any suitable manner to the shank of the crook. The wire of which the lever is formed is coiled at points intermediate between the ends of the lever to form bearings through which passes the pivot pin, 10, uniting the lever with the clip, 9. The arm of the lever that extends beyond the pivot inward or toward the stafii' is shaped into a thumb piece, 12, lying in convenient position to be operated by that hand of the shepherd in which the crook is held, the hand being slipped along the staff of the crook until the thumb piece of the lever can be reached.

A spring, 13, is interposed between the stem of the crook and the thumb piece and operates to hold the lever in normal position, that is, lying across the throat. The portion of the lever that extends beyond its pivot in an outward direction consists of an arm, 14, extending across the space between the shank or stem, 6, and the arm, 7, of the crook to a point alongside of the arm opposite the throat leading into the leg loop, whence the wire constituting the lever is bent backward to form a guard, 15, extending directly across the throat. The uard, 15, is preferably double, that is, it as a art on each side of the crook, these parts being connected by a loop, 16, extending behind the shank or stem, 6.

The preferred form of lever, 5, is that represented in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, consisting of a single piece of wire shaped to form the thumb piece, 12, a pair of coils, 11, two arms, 14:, and a guard, 15, that straddles the crook as described. I do not, however, wish to be limited to this exact form of my invention. Thus in Fig. 4 there is shown a form of lever in which one of the arms, 14, is omitted.

\Vhen the lever is in normal locking position, which is the position it occupies when the crook is in use and is subjected to strain, the guard or looking lever is braced transversely on both sides of the throat by the stem, 6, and arm, 7, which constitute the legs of the crook, respectively, as has been described. This prevents the locking lever from becoming misplaced by the struggles of the animal that may be caught and held by the crook in its efforts to free itself.

The locking device, as has been already pointed out, is easily manipulated when it is esired to release the animal. It is of simple construction and presents no sharp ends or edges that can cut or harm the animal.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a shepherds crook, of a lever pivotally connected therewith and formed of a sin le piece of bent wire having a double guar portion extendingl directl across the throat of the crook anc strad ling both legs thereof, the two parts of such uard being united by a loop of the wire, substantially as described.

2. The "combination with a shepherds crook, of a guard lever pivotally supported by the stem of the crook and formed of wire shaped to constitute a thumb piece extending toward the stafi' of the crook, and a guard adapted to lie across the throat of the crook, the guard straddling the said stem, substantially as described.

3. The combination With a shepherds crook, of a clip secured to the stem thereof, a lever pivotally supported in the clip and having an arm extending outward from the supporting pivot and arranged to normally lie across the space between the stem and the free arm of the crook, the arm at its outer end being bent backward to constitute a guard lying directly across the throat of the crook and straddling both legs thereof, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a shepherds crook, of a clip secured to the stem thereof, a lever formed of bent Wire pivoted in the said clip, the said Wire being shaped to form a thumb piece arranged adjacent to the stem of the crook, a pair of arms, 14:, extending outward on either side of the crock and a guard uniting the ends of the arms, straddling the crook and normally lying across the throat thereof, and a spring for holding the lever in normal position, substantially as described.

MARSDEN L. BURCH. Witnesses:

F. S. BURCH, N. T. HoREN. 

